The robin is a familiar site in British gardens throughout the year, especially at Christmas. Males and females look identical, and young birds have no red colouring but are spotted with golden brown. They sing nearly all year round and are aggressively territorial. As well as being resident in gardens, robins also live in woodland, hedgerows and parks across the UK.
On average, robins only live a couple of years, but the oldest known individual in the wild was 11 years and 5 months. In a mild winter, robins start courtship in January, but the breeding season normally begins in March. The birds pair only for the duration of the breeding season. Courtship feeding is a very prominent activity, and the male can supply more than a third of his mate’s food intake during nest building and egg laying. Robins are very sensitive to disturbance during this period so it’s best to stay away until the incubation period begins.
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